Council of Ministers of the Democratic Republic of the Pacific
|leader1_type = Chairman |leader1 = Joseph Webster |party1 = PPP |election1 = 23 April 2009 |members = 23 |last_election1 = 15 September 2009 |meeting_place = Space Needle, Seattle Center Seattle, Seattle Parish |coa_pic = DRP Council of Ministers.png |coa_res = 235px |session_room = DRP COM room.jpg |session_res = 130px |website = www.council.pr }} The Council of Ministers of the Democratic Republic of the Pacific is the executive governing council of the Pacifican government. The council administrates and oversees the execution of laws and decrees made by the National Assembly. The body is administered by the Chairman of the Council of Ministers, who is nominated by the President and approved by the Assembly. The current Chairman, and subsequent head of the government, is Joseph Webster of the Progressive Party of the Pacific. His deputy is Minister for Commercial Administration James Senigal. Constitutional Powers The Constitution refers to the Council of Ministers first in Chapter II, Article 17, however it establishes the organ in Chapter III, Article 34-49. The Constitution does not in fact give the Council of Ministers a wide range of powers, as it is held liable by the National Assembly for executing and formally enacting many policies and laws that involve the Council's many agencies. Each ministry or agency in the Council may operate autonomous to one another, however, they are all administrated by the Chairman who may nominate replacements for members on the Council and may select a deputy. The Chairman is given the authority to nominate all members of the Council of Ministers for approval by the National Assembly. The Chairman himself is nominated by the President for approval by the Assembly. Whereas members of the Council had indefinite terms on the board, the Chairman's term must be renewed by the National Assembly every eighteen months from the beginning of his term. During this time, the President may submit a new opposition candidate to the National Assembly. By this law, the current chairman is up for reelection on 23 October 2010. Ministries 16 ministries are established by the Constitution (Ch. III, Art. 34). Each ministry has a collection of departments which are tasked with covering specific affairs under the jurisdiction of the ministry. Ministry for Foreign Affairs The Ministry for Foreign Affairs , originally established as the Ministry for Pacifican Foreign Affairs, was the first executive agency created in the Provisional Republic of Puget Sound, preceding the Pacifican Republic. The ministry is tasked with the coordination of international relations for the government of the Democratic Republic of the Pacific. The ministry operates seven departments: Department on the United States, tasked with coordinating the affairs with the governments of nations who were formerly states in the . Department on Californian Relations, administers relations with Pacifica's neighbor and crucial ally, the . Department on European Relations, coordinates affairs with nations from Europe and officials from the . Department on Asian Relations, coordinates affairs with the nations of Asia. Department on Afro-Oceanic Relations, coordinates affairs with the nations of and Africa. Department on American Relations, coordinated affairs with nations from North and South America. Department on Middle Eastern Affairs, studies and administers relations with nations from the and the . Department on International Organizations, coordinates affairs for the Pacifican government to international organizations, mainly POMAC and the . Ministry for the Interior } The Ministry for the Interior was created to handle affairs concerning law enforcement, corrections, immigration. Judicial affairs are instead operated by the Supreme Court and is not administered by the ministry. Before the creation of the Army of the Pacific, the Interior Ministry was the primary agency tasked with the defense of the country, employing the nationalized police forces to act as a de facto military. The ministry operates three departments: Department on Police and Law Enforcement, manages the national police force as well as parish police agencies. Department on Corrections, administrates the prison and corrections system for the Pacifican Republic. Department on Naturalization and Immigration, oversees policy related to immigration procedure and the naturalization process to become a Pacifican citizen (as dictated by Ch. I, Art. 13 of the constitution). Ministry for Industrial Moderation The Ministry for Industrial Moderation is the primary government organ responsible for the regulation of finances, businesses, and nationalized industries. As well as enforcing economic regulatory laws as handed down by the National Assembly, the Ministry also sets standards for various products and industries that must be complied to ensure quality and safety. The Minister for Industrial Moderation is often called the Industrial Moderator. The ministry operates nine departments: Department on the Production of Vehicles, regulates the production of all vehicles: aircraft, boats and shipping, land vehicles and automobiles. Department on the Production of Hardware Materials, regulates the production of materials used for construction purposes. Department on Electronics, regulates the production and certain uses for industrial and consumer electronic products. Department on the Regulation of Credit and Banking, administrates and enforces regulations on banks and credit agencies. Department on the Regulation of Insurance, enforces regulation policies on all forms of insurance. Department on the Production of Medicine and Cosmetics, regulates medicines and cosmetic products. Department on Copyright and Intellectual Property, enforces the copyright laws and restrictions in Pacifica as well as establishes procedure on how to file copyright claims. Department on Patents, oversees and issuance of patents. Department on Textiles, regulates all products considered textile. Ministry for Agriculture The Ministry for Agriculture is the national executive department responsible for developing and executing Pacifican policy on farming, agriculture, and food. It aims to meet the needs of farmers and ranchers, promote agricultural trade and production, and work to assure food safety. The ministry operates one department: Department on the Manufacturing of Meats and Dairy Products, regulatory agency that ensures the quality and safety of all meat and dairy products. Ministry for Environmental Affairs The Ministry for Environmental Affairs is the chief executive agency enforcing laws, policies, and regulation regarding the protection of the environment, natural resources, forests, and waters. Due to the biodiversity of the , the Ministry for Environmental Affairs is given wide jurisdiction over the regulation of industry and the public regarding environmental protection. The ministry operates six departments: Department on Natural Resources, oversees the use and protection of natural resources, primarily their consumption, such as timber, minerals, oil, and water (for industrial purposes). Department on Geology, coordinates geological study in Pacifica, mainly for and . Department on Water, oversees the protection and quality of water in Pacifica, such as and the . Department on Standards and Regulations, agency in charge of ensuring that environmental policy and regulatory measures are properly enforced. Department on Habitats, Zoos, and Conservation, department responsible for the administration of zoos in the Pacifican Republic as well as the protection of natural habitats. Department on Forests, Parks, and Recreational Areas, in charge of the administration of national parks and recreational areas (beaches, playgrounds, marinas) to ensure that they comply with environmental regulatory standards. Also administrates the vast forests of Pacifica, and ensures their protection. Ministry for Defense The Ministry for Defense is the national executive department responsible for coordinating and supervising all the agencies and functions of the Pacifican government relating directly to national security. The ministry operates as a civilian agency complimenting the Army of the Pacific, which sits on the Council of Ministers as an independent agency as to separate military and civilian administration. The two departments though, have intertwined administration and governance. Before the establishment of the Ministry for the Interior, the Defense Ministry was tasked primarily with the seizure of weapons and military equipment from the United States, regulating their use, and ensuring that such weapons did not reach the public. The ministry operates four departments: Department on the General Staff, this department is staffed by the General Staff of the Army of the Pacific and works to coordinate their activities and administrative actions. Department on Camps, Training, and Academics, operates training and academic facilities for the Army of the Pacific. Department on Weapon Research and Production, coordinates all research for weapons and their production for military purposes. Considered the main regulatory agency for firearms produced in the Pacifican Republic. Department on Weapon Repossession, the main agency charged with the seizure of all former-United States weapons, equipment, and military material. Ministry for Culture The Ministry for Culture is the executive department charged with the protection and promotion of the arts in Pacifica as well as administering Pacifica's public monuments, attractions, and sports associations. The ministry operates three departments: Department on the Arts, agency responsible for the organization of art-related events and the promotion of its activities. Department on Sports, has oversight of the national sports associations in the Pacifican Republic. Manages the national football team and the Pacifican Olympic Committee. Department on Monuments, manages and maintains Pacifica's national monuments and public centers, such as and the . Ministry for Education The Ministry for Education is the primary executive agency in charge of the organization and funding of the Pacifican Republic's public school system and various school districts. Unlike the former United States , the Pacifican Education Ministry has established a highly-centralized curriculum for students to follow to ensure national standardization. The ministry operates five ministries: Department on Standards, sets basic curriculum for schools and students to follow and organizes and administrates state testing. Department on Primary Education, manages educational standards for grades kindergarten to eight. Department on Secondary Education, manages educational standards for high school grades nine to twelve. Department on the University of Washington, administrates the country's main state university, the University of Washington. Department on College Education, oversees educational standards and curricula for college-level schools. Ministry for Commercial Administration The Ministry for Commercial Administration was created by the Nationalization Act, which nationalized many industries and businesses in the Pacifican Republic. The ministry is responsible for the administration and management of all government-sponsored enterprises (GSE) as well as the coordination of funds granted to private firms. The Minister for Commercial Administration is often referred to as the Commercial Administrator (CA). The ministry operates no formal departments, however, each business under the control of the Commercial Administration Ministry operates autonomous to one another like a department. Ministry for Transportation } The Ministry for Transportation ensures the maintenance, coordination, and construction of roads, rails, and airports in the Pacifican Republic. The ministry also regulates air traffic, car safety and emission standards (along with the Industrial Moderation and Environmental Affairs ministries). The ministry operates five departments: Department on Ports, administrates the various ports in the Pacifican Republic, notably the Port of Seattle and the Port of Tacoma. Department on Roads and Highways, charged with the construction and maintenance of the Pacifican Republic's roads and major veins of automotive transportation. Department on the Administration of Airspace, often referred to as the DAA, the department acts as the national agency for air traffic control. Department on Investigations, coordinates investigation into accidents ad safety concerns. Department on Standards and General Regulation, regulatory agency that ensures all products related to transportation meet a certain quality. Oversight agency for construction firms contracted by the Ministry for Transportation. Ministry for Social and State Services Much like the Ministry for Commercial Administration, the Ministry for Social and State Services operates all non-commercial state sponsored social benefit programs. The Social and State Services Ministry also administrates the national health care and insurance plans, rather than Commercial Administration. The ministry operates five departments: Department on Insurance, oversees the national insurance plan for homes and vehicles. Department on Health Care, oversees the national health care insurance plan. Department on Social Security, operates a social security plan that offers financial subsidies for the elderly and disabled. Department on Assistance Services, administrates personal and group care services, intended mainly for the disabled and elderly who cannot live alone. Department on Child Services, manages the placement of children of parents who are unfit as well as the national foster family system. Ministry for Monetary Funding The Ministry for Monetary Funding is the primary executive department on the Council responsible for the management of the movement of the national currency, the Deca. This is the only agency commissioned by the National Assembly to print and administrate the nation's money. The ministry is also charged with overseeing tax collections, similar to the former American . In addition to the above, the ministry also works to promote private enterprise and international trade. The ministry operates three departments: Department on Printing, responsible for the production, printing, and distribution of the Deca. Department on Revenue and Collections, primary tax collection agency of the Pacifican government. Department on Commerce, helps promote and fund private industries for the benefit of the country. Ministry for Labor and Workers' Affairs The Ministry for Labor and Workers' Affairs fosters, promotes, and develops the welfare of the wage earners, job seekers, and retirees of the United States; improve working conditions; advance opportunities for profitable employment; and assure work-related benefits and rights. The ministry operates five departments: Department on Equal Employment, ensures that equal opportunity is given by employers when hiring. Department on Ethics, regulatory agency that enforces policies and laws that protect basic business and employee ethics and fair treatment. Department on the Unemployed, department charged with the assistance of those who are unemployed. Department on Labor Statistics, analyzes and gathers statistics directly related to labor and work. Department on Labor Unions, ensures the security and preservation of labor unions, also regulates unions to combat corruption. Ministry for Health The Ministry for the Health is the executive department on the Council responsible for matters regarding public health, medicine, and research on health-related affairs. The ministry operates all hospitals in the country, after the Nationalization Act placed all hospitals under state control. The ministry operates 444 departments: Department on Hospitals, Clinics, and Public Facilities, operates all public health facilities such as hospitals and local clinics staffing routine doctors. Department on Disease Registry and Control, central government agency that handles disease research, control, and registry for national use by doctors and citizens. Department on Food and Medicine, regulatory agency that operates with the Department on Medicine and Cosmetics of the Ministry for Industrial Moderation to ensure the health safety of consumer medicines and food products. Department on the Public Health Commission Service, service operated by the ministry that includes first-response units to disaster sites to assist in aid and the injured. Department on Health Education, department responsible for the funding and organizing of health education-related programs and activities. Ministry for Information and Broadcasting The Ministry for Information and Broadcasting is the primary regulatory agency directed at all forms of media. It is forbidden by law, though, to censor without cause privately distributed information. The ministry regulates primarily the national rating systems for forms of media, the broadcasting and content of government-sponsored media agencies. Commonly referred to by media firms as the MIB. The ministry operates six departments: Department on General Media Affairs, the public relations agency of the ministry, the department develops the MIB's consumer access and disability policies such as closed captions for those who are deaf or are hard of hearing. Ministry for Housing and Urban Development The Ministry for Housing and Urban Development is the primary agency responsible for the handling of public works projects, urban development, and the development of state-owned land and possessions. It is also tasked with providing low-cost housing and financial assistance to low-income families for housing and utilities. The ministry operates four departments: Department on Public Housing, tasked with the organization and management of state-owned housing projects built to assist low-income families and individuals with finding suitable shelter. Department on State-Owned Properties, manages and administrates all state-owned land and property. Department on Financial Services, provides financial assistance to those who live on state-owned property. Department on Public Development, manages, organizes, and contracts agencies to develop state-owned land and organize public works projects.